Conveyer.



Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEETI Bf H. ALVEY.

GONVEYER.'

- APPLICATION FILED AuG.6. 1901.

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s. H. man

`coNvEYr-:R. APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, |907.

Patented June 22, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 r1 l IN VZio 4 Iic BENJAMIN H. AI'ITEY', OF-LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MIENEIIS, T0 THEALVEY-FERGUSON COMPANY, QF OAKLEY, CINCINNATI, OHIO, A y

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Llet Bpeiation of Letters Paten Patented J une 22, 1915. #mutation11.16415 411511 6 199.7?, Sei-*m1110- 3Z24 ZZ whom it may concern.' Thesame characters of reference desi gepit known that I, BnNJAMIn H..ALVEY, a ,citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in thecounty of Jefferson and State O. Kntucky,-have invented certain new anduseflul Improvements in Conveyerof which the following is aspecification.-

y. present invention has for its object the poduction of a avityconveying system y means of w ich boxes, barrels or other packages maybe placed upon the conveyer. and be delivered'thereby to any one ofvarious diztferent places, under the control of, lan'attendant locatedat some central Station er controlling point- Y11.1 pursuance 0f thisobJect it comprlses'a lplurality of runs or sections extending 1ndifferent directions yfrom a common supplying Section or run which isprovided with. a switch section adapted to be moved to connect thesupplying section with either one of said plurality of sections, saidswitch section being provided with adjusting means running to aconvenient place for operation. In 4the best andy most completeembodiment of the invention there will be a Series of Such switches andthe actuating means therefor will extend to a common operating pQIlt.

As herein embodied the system embraces severally new and useful featureswhich c ooperate to produce a systemfof the utmost the ai-TOW. Fig# Theinvention therefore consists in certain peculiarities in theconstruction and of 'supplemental runs extending indifferent directionsfrom the main run and switches having operating means extending, to acentral operating or switchI controlling station. Fig. 2 is a transversesection on 4the line 2-'2 of ig. l, looking in the direction 4of l is asidefelevation of a portign of theeystene Showing one :of the Setonselevated.-

nate the same parts in the several views.

In producing a system such as herein contemplated, a number of sectionsA, B, C, are relatively arrangedV to produce what is herein termed,arbitrarily, main and supplemental runs including switches adapted toconnect with the main or the supplemental runs at will.

For convenience the main run is considered'to be formed of a pluralityof sections A arranged to provide a space (or a pluralvity of spaces, atintervals) between them;

the switch sections B are arranged in such 'space or spaces andconsidered to normally form a part of the main run, and the'supplemental runs are considered to be formed of the sections C and toextend ofi' in varying directions from different points of the main runcontiguous to the ends oflthe syvitch sections and the spaces referredto.

It should be understood that it is desirable to deliver packages bygravity conveying systems, sometimes to one place and' sometimes t0anpther place. For example, it may in one system be desirable to delivercertam packages to a door or a car located at-one side of' thebuildingother packages tuI a door or car located at the opposite side ofthe building, and still other packages to some other place. In othersystems it may be desirable to deliver packages variously to any one ofa number of rooms or storage places on the same floor. It is of coursenot necessary to describe herein, or to show in the drawings, all thevarious requirements and arrangements to suit the same, as it is thoughtto be` suiiiciently apparent from the foregoing that a Asystem havingwhat may be arbitrarily termed a trunk or main line or run and asupplemental run leading off at ,an` angle therefronn-or a series ofsuch supplemental runs leading 0d variously from the main run, withsuitable provision forfthe connecting of the latter with ordisconnecting them from the main run or trunk line, is important.

i e is. thought that it. will be parent that the present invention isnot restricted to'any partieular detail,.relati\f'e locationof sections,or num er of such sections, as these will vary to suit variousrequiremerits et use E'aeh, section A, B and C is provided freelyvrotatable rollers a and is arfurther apor turns of the system'are ofgreater diami port, and these ends.

eter at their outer ends than at their inner vEach section ispreferablyof a portable nature and is provided with asuitablesupsections -are removably se# curedtogether in such relation toeach other as to form asystem of the character hereinbefore described.

yEach' switchsection B 4is pivotally mounted at one end. The pivotthereof is preferably located at one side of the section, -as indicatedvat o. Suitable means are provided for swinging these switch sections Bfrom the main run to the supplemental run,

or from the supplemental run back to the 'main run. Any desirable'meansfor this purpose may be employed. The one herein shown consists of arope, cable, or other flexible device b leading over properly arrangedguidepulleys'b2 to one side of the section B from a suitable place, andasimilar iexible device-)3 leading over rollers b* from said place to'the other side of the switch section. It will be understood that eachsection is similarly provided with thesev actuating means and isindependently operable thereby,and that said actuating means willpreferably extend to a common central or -controlling station.

The sectionsupports D which are arranged at the junctions of the mainand supplemental runs comprise a top plate al' which is mounted uponsuitable legs d' preferably connected transversely of the sections bythe piece d2. This top plate d is long enough to extend entirely acrossthe junction of the main and supplemental sections and is broad enoughto support the contiguous ends of' the several sections A, and C and toform a base upon which the switch section B will travel in its movementfromone to the other run. If it be desired, said switch section may beprovided with supporting rollers d3 adapted to traverse said\ top plate,to thereby permit it to be adjusted with maximum ease and said rollersmay engage a track d* (Fig. l) upon the top plate.

It will be noted that when either switch lsection is adjusted to connectthe corresponding supplementalrun with the main run, as shown in dottedoutline'inFig. 1,

intervals .by transthe gap between the pivoted end 'of the adjustedswitchf'section andthe end `of the and main line section.

-It may sometimes be desired to `extendon? of the sections across adooror other object,- entrance to which it is undesirable to unnecessarilyobstruct. Therefore,-l for vthe purposel of exemplifying a wayofminimizing this disadvantage, I have shownin the l accompanyingdrawings one ofthe lsections C, as mountedlto swing side'wisein alvertical -`plane. It is of course assumed that this is the obstructing,section.I 'This sec-A tion andthe contiguous section A are proJ videdwith a special support E comprising a top member e which extends fromthe outer side of one section to the outer side .of

the other section ,and is provided between the sections with a hinge e.-Theiplate d upon which the 4ends ofsaid sections A Vand C are mountedalso isj provided between said sections with a hinge ezor said end ofthe section C may beotherwise hingedly secured. The leg or legs of thesupport which are arranged under theisection C .are hinged, or'pivotally connected, {with the'se'ction so asto be capable ofybeingturned down on said section when the latter is elevated.

From the foregoing theadvantages and structure of theV presentinventionwill be readily comprehended and it will be apparent that the inventionis not restricted to the detail construction or arrangement of Y partsshown, said construction and arrangement being merely exemplary .of` oneof several which are contemplated to be Within the scope and spirit Aofthe invention set forth in the subjoined claims.

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Having thus described the invention what Y I believe to be newand desireto secure by .Letters Patent,'and what Itherefo're claim 1s:

1. A'conveying system comprising a first and a second section havingvcontiguous ends and .arranged at an angle with each other, each of saidsections being inclined and provided with freely rotatable rollers tosupport the packages, a third section similarly in- B clined andprovided with freelyrotatable rollers, saidthird section arranged withone end separated by a space from the junction of the two rst mentionedsections, and a pivoted switch section provided with freelyrotatablerollers and arranged in said space, with one of its ends contiguous tothe end of the third section and its other endat said junctlon andmovable into line with either l the rst or the second section.

2. A conveying system comprising a main trunk line having'a break in itslength, and

a curved line leading off from one end ofv said break each of said linesbeing inclined and provided with freely rotatable rollers to supportpackages, and a switch Sectionlarranged in said break and inclined andpro:

vided with freely rotatable rollers, the last mentioned section beingpivotally mounted and adapted to close the break in the main line or tobreak the continuity of the main line and connect the portion thereof onone side or the break with the curved line, for the purposes described.

3. A conveying system comprising a main trunk line having a break in itslength, and a curved line leading of from one end of said break, each ofsaid lines being inclined and provided with freely rotatable rollers tosupport packages, and a switch section ar- V-oted switch sectionarranged contiguous to ends of said runs and a justable to communicatewith either of the same, each of said sections having freely rotatablerollers upon which the packages travel, and a support arranged undercontiguous ends of sections of the main and supplemental runs and uponwhich the end of the switch section moves.

5. ln a gravity conveying system, a plurality of sections relativelyarranged to form inclined main and supplemental runs, a switch sectionpivotally mounted at one end and having its other end adapted tocommunicate with contiguous ends of sections of either the ,main orsupplemental runs, each of said sections having freely rotatable rollersupon which the packages travel, a

support for contiguous ends of the sections of the main and supplementalruns, and upon which said other end of the switch section is adapteditotravel, and rollers between said support and switch section.

6. A gravity conveying system having sections provided With freelyrotatable rollers for the packages, one of Said sections being hinged atits slde to its support, and adapted to turn sidewise into approximatelyvertical plane.

7. A gravity conveying system having sections provided with freelyrotatable rollers for the packages, one of said sectlons bemg hinged atits side to its support, and adapted to turn sidewise into approximatelyvertical plane. said section having a hinged supporting leg adapted tobe turned into position against the same.

8. A gravity conveying system havinga plurality of sections relativelyarranged to provide main and supplemental runs, each of said sectionshaving lfreely rotatable rollers for the packages, and a transverselyarranged Support extending from one section to the other and hingedbetween the same. d

9. A gravity conveying system comprising inclined package-carryingsections separated from each other and each provided with side elementsand freely-rotatable rollers, a supplemental section arranged at anangle to the first-mentioned sections and having an end adjacent to anend of one of the same, and a switch-member provided with similarrollers and side elements and arranged in the space between thetiret-mentioned sections and adapted to be swung to a position betweenone of the same and the supplemental section, said switch member beingpivoted at one side of its end, the pivot being located adjacent to theend of one of said first-mentioned sections and at a point out* side theside element thereof and on the side nearest the supplemental section.

l0. A gravity conveying system comprising inclined package-carryingsections separated from each other provided with side elements andfreely-rotatable rollers, a supplemental section arranged at an angle tothe firstmentioned sections and having an end adjacent to an end ofonecf the same, and a switch-member provided with similar rollers andside elements and arranged in the space between the first-mentionedlsections and adapted to be swung to a position between one of the sameand the supplemental section, said switch member being pivotedat oneside of its end, the pivot being located adjacent to an end of one ofsaid first-mentioned sections and at a point outside the side elementthereof and on the side nearest the supplemental section, and asupporting member arranged at the junction of one of the first-mentionedsections and the pivoted end of the switch-member and adapted to closethe gap between the switch-member and the Said Section.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN H. ALVEY.

Witnesses:

` JAMES W. BROWNE, L. S. BERNHEIM.

